by Louise Oneill

Created on: August 25, 2008   Last Updated: September 16, 2008

An effective workout programme should incorporate both cardio and weight training exercises in order to achieve weight loss. Cardiovascular exercise is any exercise that gets the heart pumping and increases your heart rate. Weight training focuses on increasing the endurance of specific muscles with weights.

There are many benefits of engaging in cardio exercise. These include weight loss, decreased stress levels and more energy. We should all engage in cardio activity 3-5 times a week for between 30-60 minutes per session in order to live healthy lives.

At the gym, this is possible to achieve by using different equipment such as the treadmill and cross trainer. However, it is equally achievable outside the gym. Walking, jogging and even household chores such as hoovering and mowing the lawn can be classed as cardio exercise. So, what more motivation do you need to get your hoover out and dance to your favourite tunes whilst cleaning your house up?

It is important to identify your own personal training goals in order to achieve the most out of cardio execise. Fat burning and thus weight loss is achieved at approximately 50-60% of your maximum heart rate. In general, your maximum heart rate can be calculated as follows:
Men 220-age
Women 230-age.

If your personal training goal is to increase your fitness you should be working between 70-100% of your maximum heart rate. However, it is impossible to work between 90-100% of your maximum heart rate for long, so be careful.

Although lifting weights may increase your scale weight slightly, you will actually be a lot leaner and toned for it. This is because muscle weighs more than fat. It has also been proven that once you have stopped weight training your body burns more calories at rest. You don't have to feel guilty when you sit down to watch television as your body will be burning up to 15% more calories.

If you are a member of a gym it is easy to start a weight training routine. What about if you are not? Ankle and wrist weights can be purchased relatively cheaply from any fitness shop. A weight training routine can be incorporated into your fitness programme by slipping the ankle weights on whilst you are doing your cardio activity. Fitness DVDs will show you simple ways to incorporate a weight training routine with everyday objects such as cans of food.

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